Baylor's Birthday Celebrations

Wow what a whirlwind of a week!! Sunday was Baylor’s Birthday party at the firehouse with our friends and family so the weekend was spent getting ready. Saturday morning I made the cake. Baylor helped with the measuring, dumping and controlling the big noisy maker. We put it in the oven and moved on to another project. The batter did not look perfect for some reason and it did not rise very much but it looked fine. I went to turn it out one side stuck and cracked off. The bottom stuck too. Since I knew we were going to Wegmans after the cake was done, I did not worry about it or freak out. We went shopping and bought the rest of the stuff we needed for the party and went home. Baylor and I repeated the process and this cake batter looked perfect and tasted perfect too. Baylor says ‘Taste it?’ each time we stop the mixer. We put it in to bake and it came out perfectly. I let it cool on the counter and boxed it up to decorate on Sunday. I had made Chex mix, pretzel/kiss/M&M treats, ones with candy corn Hugs earlier in the week. I packed the boxes for the kids. Friday night I made the tractor cookies and bagged them up for the kids. I packed the boxes and laundry baskets with the items I had made and things we needed like the bowls and trays and stuff. It was a good day to get stuff done. Lori was home and was able to play with Baylor when I needed some time to get things done.


Sunday I was up early with Baylor and worked on making the frosting for the cake with his help. Lori kept him busy outside while I worked on it. It came out so good, in my opinion, that I did not want anyone to see it until later. I wrapped the cheese weenies in crescent dough and put them in the fridge for later. We went over to the fire hall at 2:15 to start setting up. Mom, Lori and I went down. Anita was trying to get Baylor to take a nap and Dad and Norman were at the house. Molly showed up around 2:30 ish and was a lot of help arranging and setting up. Lori and Molly blew up the balloons, with the helium tank, and I don’t remember either one of them taking a sample! Mom went back to the house at 3:00 to work on the pretzel dogs and crescent dogs. I had to go back at 3:45 to wake up and dress Baylor. He was not into it but went along pretty well. He was very shy when people started arriving and just wanted me to hold him. He kept hiding his head when someone would talk to him. Everyone except one family we invited was able to make it so we had a lot of people there. I asked everyone to eat when the arrived and told them about the table with the cookies and food markers for them to color their own cookies. That was my idea to get out of having to provide games or other entertainment. It was funny to me how the seating worked out.  I had a RB coworkers table, an Mombians and Gaddy table, a BookSpan coworker table and a grandparents table.  Around 4:45 the firemen came in and put one of the big fire hats on Baylor for a photo. Then they took the kids out for rides in the fire truck and Baylor loved it. They took us down to Liberty Forge and turned around. He just looked out the window the entire time. We got back and they took another group of kids for a ride. The fire man explained a few things about the cabin and why they have different lights, red lights so you are not blinded when you get out at night. By the time the rides were done and people had some more to eat it was time to do the cake. I had a number 2 candle and I helped Baylor blow it out. Molly helped me to cut and serve the cake and ice cream. There was not much left of the sheet cake. Them the gift opening started. There were so may wonderful gifts. Of course Baylor saw one that he wanted, the dump truck, and was not much interested in anything after that. It was nearly 6 when we were finished and people started to leave. I hope I was able to say good bye to everyone but there was so much going on I am not sure I did! Lori took Baylor and Anita home so he would be safe and happy at home while we cleaned up. Everyone was a great help in cleaning up and we were out of there in less than half an hour. Lori brought the mower and wagon down for the gifts. We took them home and I opened them all up after Baylor went to bed. Molly stayed for a nice visit and it was good to catch up with her.

Monday Baylor woke up to see all of his new cars, trucks, tractors and everything and he was still fixated on the garbage truck! I needed some personal time so I went shopping while Baylor, Lori and Meme stayed home. I had a very nice time but missed my little buddy and had to get home to make his cake for the Tuesday celebration. I made a chocolate devil’s food cake for the tractor shaped cake.  I frosted it while he played in the living room with Meme.  It of course I make it look like a John Deere.  I think it turned out really nice.  Baylor was too interested in his new toys to care what I was doing.  We had a good day but Baylor never napped so I was a bit worried how he would sleep.  He had a bad night Sunday after the party but Monday he slept great but woke up at 400 am on this birthday.  He started his journey into this world at 2:33 am two years ago and I should have seen that as a sign he was going to be an early bird.  We had his photos at Sears at 10 and Lori took him out in the mall while I selected the photos.  When she brought him back he was asleep in the stroller, something he had never done before.  It did not last long though after he was not longer moving in it.  He took the rest of his nap in my shoulder and Lori went and pulled the car around.  He woke up as soon as I put him in the car seat and was up the rest of the day.  He was a bit disoriented when we got home but soon was pulled together and was ready for lunch and more cake.  We just ate sandwiches and macaroni salad.  Lori helped Baylor to blow out the candle on this cake and then he said do it again. So I had Meme sit down with him and we sang again and he blew out the candle again.  He wanted to do it again so we did with Yaya and Buddy.  And that was enough.  He ate a bit of cake and I later realized I forgot to serve him on his birthday plate.  Ooops.  We opened Nana Barbie’s gifts.  One was a TY owl very cute but Baylor kept using it as a tissue.  The other was a set of starter markers in critter shapes.  Yaya and Buddy brought their gifts too.  Yaya made him a John Deere pillow case and blanket and he loved it.  They also bought him a Carhart jacket.  It is very cool.  

The parties were a lot of work but I enjoyed it all. None of it stressed me out and I am so glad we decided to have a nice big party with our family and friends, even though I originally said I was not having anything other than the grandparents party!!  

Now I have to find room for all the new stuff and make more room because Christmas is coming in 36 days.  UGH.  I will have to post the photos this weekend.  I just have not had enough time to write this all out until now, three days after his birthday!!  Better late than never.